Mitomycin protection of peridural fibrosis in lumbar disc surgery.
OBJECTIVE
In this prospective, randomized clinical study the authors sought to evaluate the effects of locally applied mitomycin C on peridural fibrosis during lumbar microdiscectomy.


METHODS
Patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups. Thirty patients had 1 mg/ml mitomycin C applied at the site of discectomy for 5 minutes, and 30 age- and sex-matched patients underwent lumbar microdiscectomy without mitomycin C application as the control group. The groups were compared for degree of postoperative neurological function, radicular/back pain, and degree of peridural fibrosis on MR imaging 6 months after the operation.


RESULTS
The median follow-up was 18 months. No serious drug adverse effects and no clinically significant laboratory adverse effects were reported in patients in the mitomycin C group. Patients in both groups showed similar clinical recoveries postoperatively. On postoperative evaluation of the MR images, pain scores, and neurological function, patients given mitomycin C have shown no reduction of peridural fibrosis either clinically or radiographically.


CONCLUSIONS
Mitomycin C is easy to use and safe in patients undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy. However, no benefit was observed either clinically or radiographically in this study.
Celik
Suat E
SE
Department of Neurosurgery, Beyoglu Eye Research and Training Hospital, Isrkey. suaterolcelik@yahoo.com
Altan
Tugrul
T
Celik
Sevinç
S
Göksu
Kamber
K
Ince
Irfan
I
Kapran
Ziya
Z
D000328:Adult; D017586:Diskectomy; D004388:Dura Mater; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control
D016685:Mitomycin